Disclaimer: The absolute undeniable fact that cannot be doubted is this: I do not own Slam Dunk. Pero pwede pa rin akong tumingin diba?

Kalyope Medina Burato: hehehe… your new username's funny… I agree that it's time to move on… yup, well I don't think it would be very nice for Ayako to be subdued and be a goody good person suddenly… she's got to keep some of that spunk! Hehehe… what's with miyagi and nagino? What do you think is up with Miyagi and Nagino? Jk… hehehe…

Coffeemaverick: thank you… yup, it also good it's been cleared up… yup, now that jin is around… well you'll find out in this chapter…

Simmic: thank you… and I think you'll enjoy reading it. hintkarinjinhint… hehehehe…

A/N: I think this has been my longest absence yet… well I was writing an epistemology essay for philosophy… so I needed to think… hehehe… anyways, I made a longer chapter too to make up for the lost time…

The Writing On The Wall

"Ne, Karin, can you come sit with us?" Ayako invited me, during our lunch break. "We're hoping to find Miyagi." Mitsui started to fill in the blanks. Miyagi arrived not a second later and began to make his way to the guntai's table. I could feel my feet tingle, it wanted to stand me up, and my lips quivered to call, "Miyagi!" Ayako did it for me. Miyagi stopped in his tracks, his food tray still in his hands. "Can you come over for a minute?" He spared all of us a glance, and when his eyes settled to look at mine, I lowered my gaze to my hands. "It's lunch Ayako, I'm sure this could-"

"It can't wait Miyagi." Ayako insisted. Mitsui stood up from his seat. "Ayako." At least he knows that Ayako's impatience may be a setback to what little progress they have established with Miyagi. We have to tread carefully in his territory – his feelings. "Fine." Miyagi said. He sat down beside me. "So what's there to talk about?" It's not promising. He's already irritated. Most of the time, trying to make an irritated person recognize his or her mistakes is a bad idea. The problem might not be resolved, or worse, it'll escalate into an even bigger problem.

"We were just thinking Miyagi," Mitsui began to talk, and that's when I looked him directly in the eye, and was glad he realized it as a sign to stop. Saying 'we' would definitely not sound good to Miyagi's ears. Saying 'we' sounds like we're isolating him, or worse, ganging up on him – just like what he thought we did last time.

"You and the rest were thinking what?" Not good. He's starting to get impatient. "Miyagi, I just wanted you to know," I took in a deep breath, "that I'm tired of us constantly acting cold towards each other." I looked at Ayako and nodded my head. "I'm tired too, I mean, it's hard enough to see you everyday at practice and be reminded of what's happened, but it's even harder to see you when I know we're not at least in good terms with each other."

"I'm just gonna cut to the chase Miyagi." Mitsui wasted no time in voicing out his feelings. "Cause you know that I'm not good at sentimental things." Miyagi stopped eating his lunch. "I mean, we've been enemies before, and we've become friends, and then we're somehow back to where we started. I just think that if we were able to overcome being enemies before, we sure as hell can do it again."

Now, it was all up to Miyagi. I don't know if he's ready to accept or not, "It's not that easy." Just like that. "Nobody said it was going to be easy!" Crap. I let my emotions take over. Think of it as a person you have to convince, don't attack the defence, just find a way to get around it without destroying his shield. Then he won't feel as if you've imposed your idea on him, but rather that he did it out of his own free will. "It's easy for you to say that," Miyagi didn't let it go. If I didn't answer, I just gave him the consent to say he was right, and if I answered, I might anger him further, and we might just fight, but it's a risk I'll have to take.

"Why do you say so?" At least the way I said it had been my calmest, though that meant I'm a wreck inside. "Because of what's his name again? Jin?" I could have taken it down the positive route, though the way he said it made me think otherwise. I didn't know what he was talking about, though it didn't sound good to me. "What are you trying to say?"

"I think you know exactly what I'm trying to say." I reached a dead end. There was no more diversion that my anger could go through, it could only go up. It began to surface. "Are you trying to say that I'm using Jin to forget about the past!" Maybe I shouldn't have done that, though I figured it's too late for that now.

"Miyagi," Mitsui interrupted. "The same thing goes for you, and you." He continued mixing in Ayako with the problem. "What!" Mitsui retorted. I think he'd prefer if Miyagi insult him, but he would want Miyagi to leave Ayako out of it. "It's easy for all of you to say so." With that, Miyagi stood to leave, but Ayako reached out to stop him. "Miyagi Ryota!" Her hand was poised to whack him in the head with her fan, though Mitsui held her back. It was no use. We all had lost our tempers. I left too.

What Miyagi said was disturbing. It wrecked havoc in my mind. I wasn't doing that was I? Of course I didn't. Why would I? But what if I had unconsciously done it? Is it ridiculously impossible? I don't think so. If I am using Jin, then he must be right. If I am not, then what do I feel for him? What does my heart tell me? It speaks, though I cannot understand. Though I think I couldn't understand what it was saying since I was covering my ears, muffling its sound. I feel somewhat scared to take off the hands over my ears, and hear its message clearly. Somehow, I am scared. I don't know why.

I was back at the train station, waiting for the familiar train to pick me up and deliver me to start my shift of work. I saw Jin not that far away, though he seemed to be facing the wrong directing and appeared to be talking to somebody. I drew closer, wanting to startle him. Though when I remembered what Miyagi said to me, my feet automatically refused to move. "Talk to you later Jin." I heard Mitsui's voice say. Jin nodded. I hid behind a column. Ayako pulled Jin closer and whispered something in his ear, glancing in my direction, and he followed her gaze. Did he see me?

Jin started bowing and thanked the two. What did she tell him? "Karin, our conversation's ended, you can come out now." So I was seen. "Karin's not here." I replied. I was too embarrassed to show my face. "Then, Karin's voice-a-like please come out now." I emerged from my hiding. There was only one thing in my mind. What did Ayako tell him?

"Hello. Off to work?" As I nodded my head, Ayako dragged Mitsui away. "I'll go with you." He grabbed my hand and pulled me to the train that just arrived. I didn't even notice it was actually the train that I was supposed to ride.

We sat down and as the train began to move in its rails, we ended up not speaking another word to each other. I had too many things going on in my mind. The most current was what did Ayako tell him? Others included, my grades, which seemed to be declining, my job, which seemed to be bothering my studies, and the money I needed to fuel these things and keep them running.

"You don't have to force yourself to verbally say something." Jin said. "Even when you think you're quiet, there's still silence, and as they say, 'in the stillness, the soul will speak'.(1)" I calmed down after the reassurance he gave me. His presence alone comforts me, though I was scared that even though that in not speaking he might feel that the silence was deafening. But now that I know he doesn't, it made me relax.

I just looked out of the window the whole time, and I didn't even need to worry if we've arrived at our destination or not. He asked me for the station, and as I mentioned it, he told me I could get lost in my thoughts along the way, and he'd find me in time so that we could get out of the train. He did, and as we descended from the train, he asked me for the address of my job site, and being good with directions, he told me that I shouldn't worry about getting to work for he'll take me there. He did, as he held my hand, and all the while I had been peeling my problems one by one. I had emptied my thoughts of every single problem, and focused on, nothing. It was good to escape reality for a while. We arrived, and he took me inside, I had to open the door for my problems to go back inside.

He took out his books and notebooks, ordered a meal, and began to do his homework. I didn't see him for I had been in the kitchen, though I did everything in my power to make his meal the best. It grew busier as it drew to 7 – 8 pm, and at 9pm it started to subside. I ended my shift at 10pm, and as I gathered my things, I saw him still sitting on the table, quietly sipping his drink.

"Let's go home?" I nodded and he collected his books and placed them back inside his bag, and we rode the train home, and though I just stared at the lights that radiated from the buildings and homes, the silence didn't disturb me. He angled my head to rest on his shoulder, though I didn't sleep. He walked with me to the bus stop, he walked with me through our neighbourhood, all the way to our house, which of course, all of it's light were put out. Auntie was still at work. He walked with me inside our house, and asked me to sit down on the couch while he prepared a meal for me.

I did, and he turned on the TV. I became more at ease when I remembered that I didn't have any homework to do today, since it had mostly been seatwork throughout the day. I took the opportunity to take a shower and change my clothes, and when I came back down, he was just laying the food on the table.

"You should eat too." I suggested though he dismissed it and asked me to eat more. He wasn't experienced in cooking, and the food was ok, though as I ate it, I couldn't help but smile. "You like it?" I ate little by little, savouring the flavour. "The best meal I had." I replied. Nobody other than my aunt had cooked before. Mitsui was too lazy. Once, he left the oil in the pan, watched TV. He only realized there was something wrong when the smoke reached him.

"You should go to bed now," he reminded me when the clock showed it was 12:30 already. He followed me upstairs, though I didn't think he was that kind of person. I laid down on the soft cushion, while he placed the blanket over me, and tucked it at the sides. He then sat down on the floor. "Don't take what others tell you too seriously. You should consider it, but when they judge you, you shouldn't take it too seriously. There are some things that you mention to acquaintances, others to friends, and still others to your family, but there will always be some things that you will keep to yourself. And when somebody claims this or that about you, you have to remember that no matter what happens, that person will never know you fully, since there will always be things that you will not be comfortable mentioning to others. And since it is only you who knows yourself better than anybody else, you should listen to yourself, and what it tries to tell you. For what comes from you, comes from within you." He stood up, and made his way to the door. "Goodnight." He switched off the lights and closed it. I listened for his steps, until it faded into the distance. I realized he walked with me every step of the way. I slept without worries that night.

(1) It came from The Oculatum

Ok… well, I figured that I might as well write two chapters so the next one is coming up, or rather I'm still typing it… hehehe… hope you enjoyed it…